Bar 190 in Kensington: “The cherry on top is an edible rice paper reproduction of the Rolling Stones”

A visit to South Kensington means a pleasant stroll surrounded by the sumptuous palaces of the main roads. Among these is the Gore, a British boutique hotel standing on Queen’s Gate since 1892 and exuding elegance and sophistication. On entering, grandiose curtains and furniture transport guests into another era, complete with courteous service and tasteful decoration.

Bar 190 is a period-style space with panelled walls, tartan cushions on burgundy-padded upholstery, and solid, polished wood tables. Right in front of the main door, though, guests are welcomed by two photos of the 1968 party that the Rolling Stones hosted at the venue for the launch of their iconic Beggars Banquet album. The pictures are more than memorabilia; indeed, they are a sign of the upcoming rock’n’roll experience.

The menu changes about twice a year and is a concentration of original and mesmerising concoctions. There are two drinks with a higher than standard price tag at the top of the list, created in celebration of the 130^th birthday of the bar and prepared with the likes of Remy Martin Louis XIII. With all due respect to the liquor royalties, though, we are more intrigued by another celebratory cocktail, the limited edition Jumpin’ Jack, which pays homage to the Rolling Stones’ 60^th global tour, recreating the enveloping whirl of flavours favoured by Mick Jagger. Pineapple juice, orange juice and banana liqueur are mixed with Galliano’s herbal notes and smooth Maker’s Mark bourbon for a refreshingly heady tipple. The cherry on top is an edible rice paper reproduction of the aforementioned party picture of the band. A boozy guitar-shaped jelly completes the presentation.

Expect no traditional recipes from the back-lit counter: the drinks are original and strikingly satisfying interpretations of some of the best-known tipples, starting from the Old Fashioned. The bourbon is infused with sesame oil, which gives a velvety texture to the liquor and a slightly sweet aftertaste. The smoking happens in a separate closed bottle, instead of around the glass, so flavour permeates the liquid well. Sipped while alternating bites of pineapple and sesame seed leather, it glides through the mouth and the throat like an elixir.

The cocktails bear with them interesting anecdotes linked to the hotel, among them the Fanny Murray, recalling the story of a 16^th-century courtesan whose hats always leaned to one side. In a similar fashion, golden leaves and the dried grapefruit segments cross the foam (not from egg whites, but rather the dazzling result of the addition of Mrs Better’s Miraculous Foamer) and continue sideways in the coupe. Another great competitor for the prettiest presentation is the Wonder Garden “The Black Forest”, a smooth dessert treat. Despite the name, this black forest in a glass doesn’t involve any chocolate ingredients, instead mellifluous gin-infused coconut, with blackberries (instead of the usual cherries) and Fra Angelico, embellished with edible flowers and a frozen berry. Going back to some refreshing and exotic hints, the Cider Sour curiously brings together pineapple cider, Amaretto di Saronno and basil liqueur. It’s quite a bracing drink, toned down by brulée drops.

The menu also includes a mighty and tangy selection of more savoury cocktails. Taking the moves from a Martini, the punchy Back to the Origin is made with discarded vodka, white wine reduction, a dash of prosecco for a gentle fizz and a balsamic glaze inside the glass. Only apparently simple, it’s the union of powerful and creative variations of grapes in a single concoction. To conclude the evening with a fiery kick, a fitting choice would be the Japanese Tiger: sake-infused green tea and Roku gin, with wasabi paste brushed in the direction of the rim, imitating the marks of a tiger’s claw. 

To accompany the drinks, an appetising food list from the Gore’s kitchen is ready at hand. From the burger to the line-caught cod goujons, and the brownie with salted caramel to the maple-glazed banana Loaf, there is variety enough for a proper bar feast.

Like the area in which it belongs, Bar 190 has refinement and luxury. The attentive and imaginative minds behind it and of those who frequent the place enhance and shake up the experience. 

Cristiana Ferrauti
Photos: Virginie Viche

To book a table at Bar 190, 190 Queen’s Gate South Kensington London SW7 5EX, call 020 7584 6601 or visit their website here.